MENA Women in the Workforce

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Contributions by: Alicia Elliott,Erin Ellis, Lisa Hoeynck, Chris Jung, and Jeannie Weber

What is the future of the gender gap in the MENA region with regard to the potential for economic growth and prosperity as it relates to pre-existing norms in education, religion, culture, employment, and government policies?

MENA Women in the Workforce

3

Acknowledgements

Our many thanks go to our colleagues

in class as well as Professor Miller.

We would also like to broadly thank

those experts who have helped us in

identifying indicators, stakeholders,

and statistics in our area of focus.

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Executive Summary

Introduction

Abstract

Literature Review: The Topic in Context

Examination, Analysis and Presentation of the Evidence

Analysis of Alternative Futures

Strategic Implications for Business

Works Cited

Contents

case study

5-6

7

8

9-14

15-18

19-22

23-25

26-27

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Executive Summary

Part I: The gender gap crisis

The situation of the gender gap

in the Middle East and North

Africa Regions impresses a visually distinct

hierarchical system with men reigning supreme.

Throughout time, the gender gap has been

nearly universally understood and accepted.

The situation is the product of a multitude of

religious, cultural, and political factors, and has

had a major impact on education, employment

rates, resource allocation and other issues. The

system stands unchanged and unbalanced in a

world that is so quickly adapting to change.

Part II: Putting a measurement on the gap

MENA’s achievements in many

areas of women’s well-being

compare favorably with those of

other regions. Indicators such as

female education, fertility, and life expectancy

show that MENA’s progress in those areas in

recent decades has been substantial. Where

MENA falls considerably short is on indicators

of women’s economic participation and political

empowerment. MENA’s rate of female labor force

participation is significantly lower than rates in

the rest of the world, and it is lower than would

be expected when considering the region’s

fertility rates, its educational levels, and the age

structure of the female population.

Part III: The expected future of women in

the workforce

The future of the gender gap in the MENA region

remains blurred as there are several different

scenarios that could transpire depending on

stakeholder reactions, governmental policies,

technological advancements, unexpected

economic booms or scares, and religious

traditionalism. With regards specifically to

global impact and cultural progress, the MENA

region may be invigorated, lag behind, fight for

progress, or remain completely stagnant.

Part IV: A new gender agenda

In a global economy that values

mental power, the MENA region’s

new comparative advantage could

end up coming from its large,

educated and, increasingly, female

workforce. Economic growth relies increasingly

on a country’s quality of human resources, and

women remain a largely untapped resource.

Therefore, gender issues need to be viewed as

central in policy design and implementation.

Gender equality is not only for the sake of

women. It promotes growth and aids the welfare

of society in general. Should change be enacted,

there is a clear and enormous potential for the

region’s economic growth as well as an entirely

UN

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Executive SummaryPart V: Where business

should take action

Business in the MENA

region as well as business

in this age of globalization would greatly benefit

from the increased integration of women into the

workforce. Many of the factors that affect female

participation and inclusion in the workforce

are evolving through increased awareness

and activism both in the region and abroad.

Increased access to the internet and technology

has opened a whole new world of possibilities

for women in MENA countries.

As businesses continue to branch out to the

global marketplace, they will be searching

for new opportunities. Great potential lies in

the developing world, specifically the MENA

region, if the gender gap can be decreased.

The status of women now causes loss in

productivity, economic activity, and human

capital. Companies that embrace female

empowerment will see their labor forces become

more productive, the quality of their global

supply chains improve, and their customer

bases expand. Businesses that invest in the

developing world are stimulating growth which is

of course beneficial to all commerce. Businesses

should also be aware of how they might go

about implementing the decrese in the gender

gap, as to become one step ahead of what is to

come.

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AbstractThe future of the gender gap in the Middle East

and North Africa relative to business and career

opportunities may not have a lucid short-term

solution, but it is not the unconquerable feat it

may have once seemed. Employing a strategy

of matching the qualitative data of culture

with the quantitative data of literacy rates and

unemployment, it is easy to define what progress

should be made in the MENA region.

It is proposed that with improving literacy

rates, access to the Internet, and education

opportunities, it may become the norm for

businesses to incorporate women. Disruptive

change and uncertainties must be considered

and taken into account when projecting

the gender gap into the future. Despite

improvements, problems may still exist due to

the lack substantial personal capital. The MENA

region is characterized by a culture that strongly

resists change, particularly when it comes to the

equality of women. The culture in this region

is intertwined with the government, thus firmly

impacting the creation of policies regarding

women. Political, religious, and socio-economic

conflicts in the MENA region segue into unstable

government; which can impede change and

progress. Finally, there is the question of how

change will come about in order to close the

gender gap. Which methods work the most

efficiently and effectively?

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IntroductionWomen’s rights have only begun to be a source

of debate among the countries in the Middle East

and North Africa. The highly patriarchal societies in

this region not only provide women with very few

opportunities, but also place harsh restrictions on

the work that women can do. This paper aims to

address the issues women face entering the work

force and considers the full potential of a more

efficient system for business. The MENA region is

highlighted in particular because of how blatantly

and visibly unbalanced the system still stands.

Given that the United States does a great deal

of trade with the MENA region, especially for

oil, it is a social responsibility to ensure that this

region is treating her workers with respect and

dignity. While the United States may not be able

to employ everyone who is looking for a job during

a recession, there is at least the basic human

right that all citizens are offered the privilege to go

out earn a living and provide for their families. In

countries where this is not even an option, people

from countries similar to the US need to take a

stand. At times it may seem like a struggle here

in the US, but when women are getting physically

abused or not even given the opportunity to reach

secondary education because they are told they

have to marry to own land or have a family, action

needs to be taken from an outside source.

Although improvements have been made in the

MENA region, audacious challenges still remain.

Women can attend school, but many are not

learning enough to prepare for modern job markets.

Women in the MENA region have started to emerge

in the world of business but they still represent a

small minority as a result of cultural and gender

inequalities, legal norms, limitations, and resources.

The implications of culture and gender equality

are especially influential. These views affect what

each given society expects of its women and what

responsibilities women are allotted in that given

region. By creating entrepreneurial opportunities

for women and intensifying roles of women in the

workforce, economic growth of MENA nations

and the region as a whole will augment and offset

effects of economic crises. Women possess

enormous productive potential to bring economic

and social benefits to the MENA economies.

Access to the internet allows women to discover

what other woman are doing throughout the world

which will slowly lead to a demand for better

treatment. Awareness is the first weapon that

needs to be used in this battle of inequality. Along

with education, without knowing how much better

life can be, women in the MENA region will not put

up the fight for something better. The first world

countries need to become involved by offering

knowledge and resources of information, as these

intangible resources have been proven to be the

most valuable assets in the working world today.

The world of business can be transformed and

offer many more opportunities for world trade once

women are given the chance to compete in the

global marketplace.

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Literature Review: The Topic in ContextAmong the countries in the Middle East and

North Africa a visibly patriarchal system reigns

supreme. Women’s rights have only begun to

be a source of debate, and throughout time

the gender gap has been nearly universally

understood and accepted. The situation is

the product of a multitude of religious and

cultural factors, and has had a major impact

on education, employment rates, resource

allocation and other issues. This paper aims to

address these concerns and consider the full

potential of a more fair and efficient system for

business. The MENA region is highlighted in

particular because of how blatantly and visibly

unbalanced the system stands still today in

relation to women’s roles in the workforce.

Should change be enacted, there is a clear and

enormous potential for the region’s economic

growth as well as an entirely new quality of life.

Business in the region as well as business in

this age of globalization would greatly benefit

from the increased integration of women into the

workforce.

Many of the factors that affect female

participation and inclusion in the workforce

are evolving through increased awareness and

activism both in the region and abroad. The

patriarchal culture in MENA countries creates

various issues for increasing women in the

workforce. The focus should not be on the

breaking down of cultural norms, but should

remain on the empowerment of women within

the culture. Strict Islamic practice in the region

is sometimes viewed as a problem in that it

limits the types of jobs women can perform, but

increased access to the internet and technology

has opened a whole new world of possibilities

for women in MENA countries (Beitler).

Improvements such as access to education,

information and technology have changed the

role of women in MENA countries forever, but a

better transition needs to be made to help these

women achieve significant roles in the workforce.

Employment levels, as well as the number of

women seeking work need to be increased

because women are still economically dependent

upon male family members.

Cultural Obstacles

While access to education and information in

the region has increased, access to resources

for women is still a complex issue. It is hard to

grasp this blockage of women from seemingly

basic daily tasks in the west, but entrance to

some public institutions, and owning businesses,

is far from unheard of in MENA countries. The

cultural norms of the patriarchal society demand

that women sacrifice their resources. For women

to make a significant impact in the workforce

with increased numbers, access to economic

opportunities is essential and women should not

be forced to rely on their male counterparts to

perform all business roles.

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Literature Review: The Topic in ContextDue to past research and knowledge about

women’s empowerment several driver’s of

change can be identified. The list is vast but

a few stand out as necessary conditions for

improvement in the future. Focus must be

on adapting sociocultural norms, providing

greater access to education, increasing the use

of technology by women, and implementing

governmental policies to enact change.

Religion is known to dominate politics in

MENA due to the patriarchal structure of the

government and lack of separation of church

and state. Because the majority of MENA is from

Islamic decent, Sharia law governs all aspects of

culture. Their culture overrides all policies, thus

making legal enforcement on state regulations

particularly meaningless (Glenn, Gordon, and

Florescu 2010, 11-55). Without giving women full

employment opportunities, the government can

point the blame of the poor economy on holding

up Islamic values, and not the lack of creation of

new jobs (Doumato 1999, p 582).

Women’s rights activists try to keep with Islam

culture while adapting to the demands of a

global economy. Women face many restrictions

in business from conservative religion and

laws. For example, the Saudi Arabian Ministry

of Commerce declared in 1995 that women

could no longer be issued commercial licenses

(Doumato 1999, 569). Without this, women are

confined to trade work and the arts. It is not

realistic for a woman to open an industrial

business without the physical help of men

(Beitler and Martinez 2010). Women have limited

options for jobs due to religious and political

practices and not only is this halting their

advancement in the workforce, but hindering it.

Women’s rights strategies that have been

employed so far include reviewing laws on

birth control in order to decrease fertility rates,

outlawing polygamy, and enforcing the ban on

female circumcision. These methods would

help women’s rights by decreasing the birth

rate which would allow women more time for

education and careers (Glenn, Gordon, Florescu

2010, 11-57). Although progress has been

made, the next steps must be in the direction of

education and pushing women beyond primary

education, which includes primarily religious

studies, but into secondary and university

education where secular topics are taught and

job training occurs.

Education

Education is a major factor driving change for

women in the Middle East and North Africa

(Roudi-Fahimi). It is not so much a sweeping

reform of ideology in the region as the adoption

of a more modern view of gender equality and

pragmatism. A higher number of people with

more total knowledge clearly stand to make a

more efficient and advanced society overall.

Sadly, “Women in MENA countries are two times

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Literature Review: The Topic in Context

… the MENA region has made

significant strides in the education

sector... However, it has not capitalized

fully on past investments in education,

let alone developed education systems

capable of meeting new challenges. The

education systems did not produce what

the markets needed, and the markets

were not sufficiently developed to absorb

the educated labor force into the most

efficient uses. Thus, the region needs to

travel a new road. (World Bank 2008, 25)

as likely to be illiterate as men, and make up

two-thirds of the region’s illiterate adults” (Roudi-

Fahimi 2003). External pressures like the 2000

U.N. Millennium Summit included achieving

universal primary education and promoting

gender equality and empowerment of women

(Roudi-Fahimi, 2003). Higher rates of advanced

education could create an enormous economic

gain for the region. Schooling can provide a

source of social mobility (World Bank 2008,

63). The World Bank 2008 MENA Development

Report focuses on the exact same issue, and

summarizes the landscape as such:

The most fascinating aspect of the World Bank

Report is that the ideal outcome catalyzes the

driver of change. Educational advancement for

women in particular will take shape as soon as

the region as a whole acknowledges what there

is to be gained and what exact inputs are

required. The outstanding debate is not a

question of intent – “MENA governments spent

an average of approximately 5 percent of their

GDP on education [in 2007], but instead a

question as to the best route to achieve results

(WorldBank 2008, 33). Increased literacy and

numeracy not only show up in a climbing

GDP, but afford the opportunity for expansion

of industry, family welfare, and said social

capability.

Role of Technology

Technology and access to information will

contribute to the future status of women as well.

“The digital divide is also a gender divide,” and

not until women are given the same opportunities

as men will the gender gap decrease or

disappear. While slow and limited to just six

percent, Internet access has been a useful tool

for women, allowing them to write, blog, upload

artwork and create small businesses. Emerging

statistical research in MENA indicates that the

newer technology is beginning to affect social

and gender relations (Weaver 2004). Internet

use by gender activists in particular signals the

emergence of new, empowering trends that

could impact the gendered nature of the public

sphere if technology’s potential is exploited fully.

Newly empowered female bloggers includes

Tehran- based journalists, NGO activists, and

literary and social critics (Skalli 2006). The

strategies that have been successful in engaging

girls and women in the use of Information and

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Literature Review: The Topic in ContextCommunication Technology (ICTs) for education

have emphasized contents relevant to their

lives. According to the 2010 State of the Future,

“health, agriculture, business development,

domestic violence and other relevant information

should be distributed in a way that maximizes

the impact on women’s well-being.” To raise

awareness of gender and ICT issues, the World

Bank started the Gender and ICTs seminars

in 2000. “Through this program, practitioners,

policy-makers, and academics are invited to

discuss the impact of ICT on gender relations,

and ways ICT can be used to overcome gender

inequalities” (The World Bank Group 2010).

While ICTs have the potential to ease or remove

some of the traditional causes preventing women

from gaining access to education, they may

also create uncertainties and additional barriers

including restricted access to technology, and

factors inhibiting usage such as high costs

and lack of skills and information. Despite

the hindrances, accounts seem to suggest

that the technology, when readily accessed,

promises to enable and empower educated

women in politically and religiously constrained

environments.

Clearly, more research is needed to assess the

impact and reach of technology, women and

the overall economic benefits before we can

assert that the newer technology is “significantly

contributing to the silent gender revolution”

(2003). While access to technology for some

women in the MENA region might still be

progressing slowly, experts agree that the advent

of technology will continue to play an ever-

increasing role in narrowing the gender gap.

New communications technologies are starting

to create a new sense of accountability toward

a public that is increasingly challenging in its

demands for greater transparency in education

and governmental decisions and policies (Skalli

2006).

Governmental Influence

Government policy has played a huge role

in enacting and inhibiting change for women

in the MENA region in the past and will be a

deciding factor in the future. The United Nations

stresses the importance of action at the state

level in order to achieve a third Millennium

Development Goal: promote gender equality and

empower women. “Achieving change requires

policy and program actions that will improve

women’s access to the scarce and valued

resources of their societies (particularly secure

livelihoods and economic resources), alleviate

their disproportionate household responsibilities,

remove legal and social impediments to their

participation in the public sphere, eliminate the

spectre of domestic and sexual violence from

their daily lives and raise social awareness

through effective programs of education

and mass communication” (United Nations

Population). An associated goal of these policies

is to involve more women in the decision-making

13

Literature Review: The Topic in Contextprocess by increasing their representation.

Countries outside of the MENA region can also

have an impact on women’s empowerment

via international policy. At the International

Conference on Afghanistan, Hilary Clinton

stressed the importance of “the women of

Afghanistan being involved at every step of

securing and rebuilding the country. The

stabilization strategy for both Afghanistan and

Pakistan includes a Women’s Action Plan that

promotes women’s leadership in both the public

and private sectors; increases their access to

education, health, and justice; and generates

jobs for women, especially in agriculture”

(Clinton, 2010). In India, legislative bills have

over 20 concerns and prescriptions listed

that include making the judicial system more

responsive to gender-specific crimes, affirmative

action to involve women in the decision making

process, and providing support to women

in the workplace such as child care facilities

(Government, 2001). The empowerment

of women will have an effect on the global

economy and all nations must take responsibility

and play a part in decreasing the region’s gender

gap, but change must take place in MENA first

and foremost.

There is a question as to how to measure the

effectiveness of the few governmental policies in

MENA that have started to address some of the

problems that have hindered women’s roles in

the workforce. Some countries have applied

successful policies while others have failed to

impose the laws they write. One must take a

critical view of these policies when determining

which have been successful and why they

have made a difference. Putting a law in place

protecting women is a great first step, but

enforcing the law is even more important.

Bridging the Gap

Using past research as a guide we will take an

analytical approach to forecasting the future

of women in the MENA region, specifically to

answer the question “What is the future of the

gender gap in the MENA region with regard

to the potential for economic growth and

prosperity as it relates to pre-existing norms in

education, religion, culture, employment, and

government policies?” Women represent a

small minority of the workforce as a result of

cultural and gender inequalities, legal norms,

limitations on education and technology, and

a lack of effective government policies. These

views affect what each given society expects

of its women and what responsibilities women

are allotted in that given region. The aim is to

increase female representation within the public

sector, including in decision-making positions

by especially addressing cultural and gender

equality. By increasing the contribution of women

to the MENA economies through education,

empowerment, and employment opportunities,

MENA economic development greatly benefits.

By creating entrepreneurial opportunities for

14

Literature Review: The Topic in Contextwomen and intensifying roles of women in the

workforce, economic growth of MENA nations

and the region as a whole will augment and

offset effects of economic crises. Women

possess enormous productive potential to bring

economic and social benefits to not only the

MENA economies, but to the global economy as

well.

15

Examination, Analysis and Presentation of the Evidence

The closing of the gender gap in the Middle

East and North Africa as it relates to business

and career opportunities may not have a clear

short term solution, but also may not be the

unconquerable feat it may have once seemed

to be. By defining the strategy of matching

qualitative data of culture with quantitative data

of literacy rates and unemployment, for instance,

the future of change in MENA may be more

easily defined.

It is proposed that with improved literacy, access

to internet, and educational opportunities it may

become the norm for business to be impacted

by women. In predicting the future of the gender

gap disruptive change and uncertainties must

also be taken into account. The MENA region

is very driven by a culture that resists change,

particularly when it comes to the equality of

women. This culture, of course, has an impact

on governments which have the power to create

policies to empower women. Conflicts in the

MENA region create unstable governments and

could be an impediment to change. In order to

gather evidence and come up with an educated

prediction what methods work the most

efficiently and effectively?

Research Strategy and Methods

The main evidence to be strung into the final

paper consists largely of published findings from

experts on the region. There is a substantial

amount of historical, statistical data to help in

understanding the problem, but to be able

to forecast the future of the gender gap in the

Middle East and North Africa the best resources

available are the qualitative opinions of experts.

Some of the best sources have been published

writings by the United Nations Educational,

Scientific, and Cultural Organization, World Bank

Database, the Population Reference Bureau, a

variety of print sources, as well as a myriad of

web findings. There are nearly limitless experts

on the issue and enough educated opinions have

been gathered to form one comprehensive take

on the problem and its projection for the future.

The research strategy used to gather qualitative

information comes from making use of available

resources. Whether through internet databases

or a basic search in a search engine articles

can be found and evaluated. To sift through

the quality of the information the credibility

of each source needs to be evaluated. There

are certainly qualified opinions that differ from

the norm but they must also come from a

source with real experience and other qualified

references. As the information is gathered

the group is able to pool the opinions. A very

similar procedure was used for quantitative

data, but these often originate much more from

established databases and were much sparser.

The group can be sure that the best data has

been collected due to the fact that such a limited

amount exists. No more applicable statistics

were available from credible sources, and as

many qualitative analyses were gathered as were

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Examination, Analysis and Presentation of the Evidence

found to be helpful. Any continued research

would only echo popular sentiment and overlap.

In spite of the multitude of collected opinions,

a strong, viable supplement in assessing the

future would be employing collected data.

Crucial statistics aren’t plentiful, but enough

exist to aggregate and develop an index capable

of evaluating the state of the gender gap. As

the main dependent variable the gender gap

can be measured as a product of all influential,

measurable indicators. The indicators to be

focused on in the paper begin with assessing

government, culture, and religion pervading the

Middle East and North Africa, as they seem to

be what dictates all the other factors. From

there a crucial list stems: the status of education,

literacy, employment, technology, and lastly

family life, all with respect to the dependent

variable. The specifics statistics to be included

in the index are: access to broadband internet,

female professionals, homes with personal

computers, literacy rates by gender, women in

government, family statistics such as fertility

rates, and labor force participation rate. Through

calculation the inputs will generate a number

to be compared to other outputs of the past in

order to assess the gender gap and be able to

project a value into the future.

Gender Gap Index graph will be inserted here

upon completion

17

Examination, Analysis and Presentation of the Evidence

Analysis

As the index supports, our expected future is

a gradual shift in MENA ideology away from

some of the tenants of Political Islam to a more

fair and balanced environment. Women of the

future, through factors such as economic growth,

external activism, and access to technology will

be afforded equal opportunity more and more.

There are a variety of alternative futures that are

also very plausible but all research points to a

need and a desired change that will become a

self-fulfilling prophecy. Only a major catastrophic

event or ground breaking radicalism could deter

a gradual shift, though there will certainly be

setbacks along the way.

As far as independent variables an important

list of indicators was gathered. To start, it

is important to recognize that culture is very

much a result of religious beliefs coupled with

common governmental practices. Quantitative

data exists for the total percentage of women

in government, but even more importantly,

published sources qualitatively explain the

scope of the governments in the region and

how women are viewed and treated. Religion

factors in because it goes hand-in-hand with

government. Islam reigns supreme throughout

the region but undoubtedly helps dictate policy

making. What is most interesting is how Islam

specifically has a very even, Western view of

gender but has been adapted through politics

to create the landscape that exists today. The

concept of Political Islam is especially a major

barrier to the goal of equality and progress.

Together government and religion create the

culture and ideology that has allowed for a

gender gap, but also hold the key to dissolution.

Beyond the aforementioned indicators, key

subsets come into play. One outstanding issue

regarding the gender gap in MENA comes from

education and literacy. A lot of money and

time have been invested relative to comparable

regions of the world and women are gradually

matching men, but a disparity still persists in the

quality and depth of learning. Useful measurable

statistics include: enrollment and retention

through secondary school, literacy rates, and

net enrollment, by total and by gender. There

are also professional reports, such as the MENA

Development Report by World Bank, that help

detail the situation and predict change. Literacy

reflects education as women are still trailing,

but the two factors move together as they are

almost perfectly correlated. These indicators are

important to gauge progress because a thorough

and fair education system can catalyze a chain

of progress.

Linked to education is the indicator of

employment. Women cannot be incentivized

to go to school without assurance that there

is an opportunistic job market available upon

completion. Statistical metrics are female

18

Examination, Analysis and Presentation of the Evidence

employment, workforce demographic, and

women professionals together with assorted

online literature and supporting opinions. The

state of employment is direr than education;

a large reason why women do not seek equal

schooling is because they are not typically

afforded the opportunity to attain the same jobs

or even the same number of jobs as men. This

can be remedied through any creation of jobs

or industry and is another important key to

progress.

With regard to the employment status of

MENA, the situation is not helped by a lack

of technology. As statistics such as access

to broadband internet and personal home

computers suggest, the region is lagging behind

the developed world and is missing out on an

important chance to make change. Technology

is an important indicator because through

the internet alone self-education becomes

plentiful, along with entrepreneurial ventures,

growth of new industries, and general cultural

advancement. What is unique about technology

is that it can be measured with some of the

statistical metrics listed above, but its true use

and application appears in overall educational

and occupational increases.

One final important independent variable is

family life. By family life what is measured are

birth rates, women who work, or even houses

that practice polygamy. Family life is reflective of

education as fertility rates are linked to levels of

schooling. Educated women tend to make

decisions with respect to staying at home or

joining the workforce based on childbearing.

Similar to the other indicators, family life is

closely tied to employment and even technology,

while all three are dominated by cultural norms.

Enough statistics do not exist where specific

analytic methods such as a correlation matrix

or regression would be useful. However, the

created index is a very practical tool to clearly

assess and weigh what we feel to be the best

metrics that were obtained. Combined with

qualitative analyses and intuitive relationships

between the independent and dependent

variables, a very reasonable and probable

prediction can come forth. As mentioned, the

current state of the gender gap in the region

is primarily the result of religious, cultural,

and governmental influences and major

change drivers lie in areas such the workforce,

education, technology, and the like.

19

Analysis of Alternative Futures

In looking to the future of the gender gap in the

MENA region there are several different scenarios

that may transpire. With regards specifically to

global impact and cultural progress, the MENA

region may be invigorated, lag behind, fight for

progress, or remain completely stagnant. It is

the uncertainties such as religion, the instability

of government, education advancement,

economic cycle, and technology which will lead

to the differing outcomes previously mentioned.

These uncertainties as they effect women’s

empowerment are explained in depth below:

Religion

Many countries in MENA are ruled by Sharia law

which dictates the daily life of Muslims. An issue

that affects the advancement of women in the

workplace is the role of women in society as a

whole. Women’s roles are limited and women

are primarily expected to remain within the home

and serve their husbands and families. Not all

believers in Islam believe in limiting the role of

women, so potentially the number of countries

and women that fall under this strict law can

change in either way.

Instability of Governments

Governments in MENA countries are often

brought to power through their own upheaval

and assertion of power. Many of these countries

are not democracies and can therefore be

changed literally overnight. Each government

has its own policies and laws regarding women

that potentially affect whether women can

access the workforce. Governments will have to

implement equality laws in order to decrease the

gender gap. The threat of gender gap stagnation

could result if governments do not implement

these laws. War is also an uncertainty that is

related to the instability of governments, and has

an effect on the future of women.

Education Advancement

The access to education in some MENA

countries is sometimes limited due to the

isolated and rural communities that people

live in. If education is more accessible then

women will have a greater chance of entering

the workforce. The issue of education also ties

back to government policy and cultural values.

Women are not allowed to pursue and education

due to societal repression.

Economic Cycle

The global economic cycle affects the number

of women in the workforce. In a downturn,

the agricultural sector performs poorer and

more men seek jobs in cities that women could

potentially hold. Less jobs in general means less

jobs for women.

Technology

On the downside, increased technology can

eliminate jobs that men would hold in the

agricultural sector and push these men into jobs

that women would hold. It could also

20

Analysis of Alternative Futures

• War in the Middle East• Women holding government positions• Women having more access to technology and education• Less restrictions on women, while preserving religious customs• Economic recession globally• Pressure on the US to help with non-state terrorist groups

• gender quotas not being met• educational attainment in the primary/secondary levels slow for females• No calls for action in business setting • Continued repression and biased religious norms present• Social institutions continue to limit role of women in society• Constrained civil liberties on women

Glob

al Prosp

erity

Cultural ComplacencyCultural Progress

Glob

al Decay

• Gender gap closes• Education for women• Technological advancement creates opportunity• Governmental reform, dissolution of certain aspects of Political Islam• Stability throughout the region economically and in terms of world relations• Cultural acceptance and progress• Phasing out of biased customs and norms• Growth and prosperity

• Low share of women’s paid employment• Low representation in national parliaments• Discrimination in access to education• Cultural issues not addressed• Lack of government policies• Instability in the MENA region

**All in relation to the rest of the world’s progress.

MENA Invigorated

MENA Fighting

MENA Lagging

MENA Stagnant

increase women’s access to education and

access to jobs. The information and ease of

communication that the internet would provide

would be massive in decreasing the gender gap.

In predicting and forming possible futures one

must take into account these uncertainties

and look for disruptive change. Depending on

where these factors go in the future a variety

of outcomes may occur. We have found the

following to be the most likely future scenarios:

21

Analysis of Alternative Futures

MENA Invigorated

The MENA region and the gender gap for women

will be invigorated through the combination

of global prosperity and cultural progress.

Specifically, the government needs to enact

change and culture throughout the region needs

to adapt. The future of invigoration would

require either natural regime change, protest,

or a gradual shift in ideology, together with the

adoption of the notion amongst the people that

Political Islam and equality amongst genders

is a positive outcome. One key element of the

proposed scenario is technological progress,

which allows women of the future to self-

improve, join in e-commerce, and receive a

more thorough and adequate education. The

governmental change, together with improving

technology, creates a thriving economy and an

incentive for women to join in business, among

other benefits.

Cultural acceptance is a major uncertainty

to be solved through impending gradual

change or unforeseen external forces such as

activism, sweeping radicalism, or even external

pressures. As mentioned before religion is a

major component of culture that impacts society

and even governmental action in MENA. The

benefits however are self-compounding, once a

few small things go right the region as a whole

will find itself on a crash-course for progress,

development, and growth which will result in

equality and opportunity.

MENA Lagging

While many parts of the world are showing

progress in decreasing the gender gap, the

MENA region lags behind. This is shown by data

collected through the UN Fourth Conference

on Women in Beijing, the third Millennium

Development Goal, and the OECD. The UN uses

three main indicators in MDG #3. The Middle

East and North Africa fall behind every other

region by having a low share in women’s paid

employment, very low representation in women’s

equal representation in national parliaments, and

close to parity, as opposed to parity or almost to

parity, in equal girl’s enrollment in primary school.

The lack of women’s empowerment in this

region may continue on this downward path

despite continued global progress due to several

factors particular to this region. Included are

cultural norms which deny women access

to education and employment, a scarcity or

absence of women in decision-making positions,

and a lack of government policies to combat

this discrimination. Women who attempt to

change their social and economic status often

face threats to their security, and risk their lives.

The economic and political instability inherent

in the MENA region also causes a barrier to

decreasing the gender gap. If these issues are

not addressed the MENA region will continue to

lag behind the rest of the world’s progress.

22

Analysis of Alternative Futures

MENA Fighting

The combination of global decay and cultural

progress will result in the rest of the world

retrogressing in relation to economics, politics,

and culture while the MENA region makes

significant progress. Global decay, which

would include the outbreak of war in other

regions of the world, a recession that impacts

all economies on a macro level, and less

accessibility to technology will deplete resources

and weaken the market place. However, the

MENA region will make significant progress

placing women in higher education which will

increase the range of jobs available to them.

The MENA region will also be able to feed more

of the citizens by improving technology and

irrigation to better use the land.

For sustainable change and better treatment

and opportunities, the government will need to

become more involved with changing policy.

There are customs and traditions to tread lightly

around but with more separation of religion

and state, women will be able to become more

involved. Small steps may need to be made

first such as providing education for women in

a single sex environment before both men and

women are mixed together, but the MENA region

will make progress in what it can offer to women.

With increased opportunities for women in the

MENA region, the economy in this region will be

stimulated and the rest of the world will soon

follow suit.

MENA Stagnant

The mixture of global decline and cultural

complacency will leave the MENA region in a

stagnant state, with little regard to increasing

female participation in society and business.

Male-dominated attitudes will also not vanish.

Women’s right to employment, and especially

promotion, will continue to be compromised

in future years due to their family obligations

as wives and mothers. These cultural customs

and policies will stand firm and hinder women’s

standing. The key takeaway is that women’s civil

liberties are and will remain a key issue in the

region. Their freedom, or lack thereof, will affect

how they seek employment or start a business.

Their human capital for strengthening the MENA

countries’ economy will not reach full potential.

Not only will religious and cultural norms play a

prevalent role in keeping MENA stagnant, but

global cooperation from corporations to attempt

to uplift and empower women will not be on

board for change. This implicates the economy

and business network to a significant degree,

and economic participation will remain low

throughout many countries.

23

Strategic Implications for Business

Business will play a crucial role in decreasing

the gender gap in the MENA region, and a

decreased gender gap will in turn have a

positive impact on business. Companies should

take interest in this region, and specifically in

empowering women, because of its potential

for economic growth. With half of its workforce

repressed the MENA countries are not reaching

their full capacity in any industry. Businesses

must step in and demand that sexist policies do

not take occur in their workplace; they have the

power to turn around these existing practices

and enact change. Business may have more

effect on society than governments or non-

profits in that they have significant leverage

with its well-known brands and promises of

investment and employment opportunities.

Besides doing this for moral or ethical reasons,

business will reap financial benefits as well.

With the addition of women they will have more

diversified employees and a broader range of

talent within the company. On a grander scale,

women’s empowerment has a direct correlation

to economic development. With a decreased

gender gap comes more prosperity for the region

as a whole which creates a new player in the

global marketplace.

Businesses’ Impact on a Decreased

Gender Gap:

Companies can approach the gender gap

problem from a variety of angles. Inside of the

company, they can provide literacy and

vocational training to women who have not had

access to a good education so that they may

still gain employment. They can also provide

scholarships specifically to women in order to

promote education.

Businesses also have the power to create

opportunities for women that do not currently

exist. They must be proactive in making women

in the MENA region aware of employment

opportunities that are available to them, which

does not only include stereotypical female

jobs. Informing women what skills are needed

for various jobs and how to obtain them is also

important. Within company culture, there must

be a strict non-discriminatory policy; companies

should actively recruit women. Once females are

hired and included in the workplace their needs

must be taken care of, such as maternity leave,

healthcare, and childcare.

Because of the MENA region’s cultural norms

another aspect that needs to be addressed is

women’s self-confidence. Programs to increase

self-esteem, perhaps through a mentor or role

model could be useful in encouraging women to

step outside of the home against societal norms.

Businesses might also take a stake in new

ventures via female entrepreneurs and offer

support in the form of micro-loans.

24

Strategic Implications for Business

A Decreased Gender Gap’s Impact on

Business:

It has been agreed upon that addressing the third

Millennium Development Goal of empowering

women will be key in advancing progress in the

rest of the goals. Current research underscores

that reducing the social, economic and political

barriers faced by women and girls keeps children

in school longer, decreases child mortality and

fosters greater economic activity, putting more

resources in households and communities. Of

course business should be invested in this if they

want to have a large pool of healthy, educated,

and talented labor.

As the world becomes smaller and businesses

branch out to the global marketplace, they

will be searching for new opportunities. Great

potential lies in the developing world, specifically

the MENA region, if the gender gap can be

decreased. The status of women now causes

loss in productivity, economic activity, and

human capital. Companies that embrace

female empowerment will see their labor forces

become more productive, the quality of their

global supply chains improve, and their customer

bases expand. Businesses that invest in the

developing world are stimulating growth which is

of course beneficial to all commerce.

Research has proven that all of the above is true.

McKinsey did a study on companies with female-

focused initiatives and found that three-fourths

of these saw an increase or expected an

increase in profits because of their investment.

This is due to an enhanced labor pool and

productivity, as well as expanding and creating

new markets. Exhibit 2 shows how businesses

believe that their initiatives will profit their

company.

Women and Profitability

25

Strategic Implications for Business

The Future of Business and the MENA Region:

MENA Invigorated: The global economy is

prospering and MENA is making progress as a

region in empowering women; this is the best

case and preferred scenario. In this future,

businesses around the world are doing well and

will thus have money to invest in the developing

world and create initiatives for issues such

as women’s empowerment. Also, because

of improvement in the region internally as far

as adjusting cultural norms and implementing

government policies, society will be more open

to change and businesses taking action. The

region will prosper as will business.

MENA Lagging: While the global market is

stable, the MENA region is still lagging behind in

women’s empowerment. Businesses are doing

well and may want to expand internationally.

Developing regions provide opportunities for new

markets. However, in the MENA region, business

will have to work to overcome the cultural

stigmas of allowing women to work. The region

will be resistant to change from the outside.

MENA Fighting: The global economy falls into

a recession, but the MENA region is making

progress culturally. The region is making strides

in decreasing its gender gap, and is on its way to

full economic development. Because this region

is prospering and open to change, struggling

businesses could use this as a chance to create

value in a new venture and dig itself out of an

economic downfall.

MENA Stagnant: The worst case scenario

of global decay and cultural complacency.

The MENA region is not making progress in

decreasing the gender gap and international

business is not doing well. Companies may see

no reason to invest in a region that is not making

strides towards development while it is fighting

to make profits even domestically.

26

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